de Havilland Sea Vixen
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de Havilland Sea Vixen
The sole airworthy de Havilland Sea Vixen, XP 924, civil reg. G-VIXN, was successfully flown from it's base at Swansea to Bournemouth International, yesterday.
It will be based at Bournemouth Aviation Museum,previously site of Jet Heritage,where it will be prepared and fully certified for Airshow appearances this summer(what summer?)
The guys at De Havilland Aviation, the owners of the Vixen, have done a fantastic job keeping the aircraft in an airworthy state, and should receive all our support to get her on the Airshow circuit.I would be interested to hear experiences of any ex-Sea Vixen pilots: judging by the nose high landing flare yesterday it cannot have been a bundle of laughs to fly onto carriers?
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It will be based at Bournemouth Aviation Museum,previously site of Jet Heritage,where it will be prepared and fully certified for Airshow appearances this summer(what summer?)
The guys at De Havilland Aviation, the owners of the Vixen, have done a fantastic job keeping the aircraft in an airworthy state, and should receive all our support to get her on the Airshow circuit.I would be interested to hear experiences of any ex-Sea Vixen pilots: judging by the nose high landing flare yesterday it cannot have been a bundle of laughs to fly onto carriers?
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I believe it was a Sea Vixen that was used in the rubber deck trials, the a/c having no undercarriage to enable the weight to be used for extra armament. The a/c was to be catapulted from the carrier, landing on a flexible deck after the mission, gather this unorthodox idea was abandoned due to lack of diversion fields if things went wrong, but
I think some trials (land based) were made
I think some trials (land based) were made
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You may be amused by this story - but I love it.
I was taking part in the Tiger Club's Dawn to Dusk competition in the 70's and happened to be in the bar at Biggin with the great Pete Shepherd of Sea Fury fame, which belonged the Navy's Historical Flight. I mentioned that part of my plan was to visit as many airfields in a day, starting from Redhill at first light. And that one of them would be Yeovilton.
He immediately said, "I'll come and meet you" when we hear you are approaching. I was flying and RF5 doing around 130kts and about 12 miles from Yeovilton a Sea Vixen came with a 100 yards and buzzed us, inverted over us, under us, round us and everywhere - Pete Shepherd. He then flew along side us with gear down, flaps down, hook down and a very nose high attitude. I was doing my best to coax a few extra kts out the RF5 with a distinctly nose down attitude. It would have looked absurd if a third aircraft could have taken a picture.
Pete cleaned everything up and flew off. We were held a few minutes while Pete did one of his spectacular aerobatic displays over the airfield in the Vixen, which we watched with a grandstand view. The great PS and the very beautiful Sea Vixen. I am delighted that there are people who can restore such aircraft. And I am delighted that Pete and I became good friends in the following years.
Pete is still very much alive and was in the Air Show series last year. I have no idea if he still actively flying, but if he is he is your man. There will be NONE better. Best talk to Yeovilton to ask his wherabouts. Probably Suffolk.
[This message has been edited by InFinRetirement (edited 30 May 2000).]
I was taking part in the Tiger Club's Dawn to Dusk competition in the 70's and happened to be in the bar at Biggin with the great Pete Shepherd of Sea Fury fame, which belonged the Navy's Historical Flight. I mentioned that part of my plan was to visit as many airfields in a day, starting from Redhill at first light. And that one of them would be Yeovilton.
He immediately said, "I'll come and meet you" when we hear you are approaching. I was flying and RF5 doing around 130kts and about 12 miles from Yeovilton a Sea Vixen came with a 100 yards and buzzed us, inverted over us, under us, round us and everywhere - Pete Shepherd. He then flew along side us with gear down, flaps down, hook down and a very nose high attitude. I was doing my best to coax a few extra kts out the RF5 with a distinctly nose down attitude. It would have looked absurd if a third aircraft could have taken a picture.
Pete cleaned everything up and flew off. We were held a few minutes while Pete did one of his spectacular aerobatic displays over the airfield in the Vixen, which we watched with a grandstand view. The great PS and the very beautiful Sea Vixen. I am delighted that there are people who can restore such aircraft. And I am delighted that Pete and I became good friends in the following years.
Pete is still very much alive and was in the Air Show series last year. I have no idea if he still actively flying, but if he is he is your man. There will be NONE better. Best talk to Yeovilton to ask his wherabouts. Probably Suffolk.
[This message has been edited by InFinRetirement (edited 30 May 2000).]
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The Vixen was relatively heavy on the controls compared to a Hunter but otherwise quite a nice aircraft to fly. Deck landings were not a problem if the approach was stable and the aircraft was allowed to fly onto the deck with a constant attitude and speed - the slightest flare would cause the machine to float over the wires resulting in a touch and go. The high nose attitude seen on landings on runways was due to the requirement for aerodynamic braking (down to about 70 kts) as the wheel brakes were not efficient at the higher speeds. Catapault launches were ok as long as the rotation off the end was kept within reason - the aircraft was effectively at a zero angle of attack when launched and it was necessary to increase the attitude to get lift off the wing. Failure to do so ended up with wet feet and an over zealous rotation had a similar result as the aircraft was prone to 'pitch-up' and total loss of pitch control. The result was predictable and I remember two occasions when this happened to the aircraft launching immediately before me. Funny thing, after that the others all wanted me to go first!! In a nutshell, nice machine, good fun flying off the deck during the day but I don't know of anyone who liked it at night. Incidentally I still have my original Pilot's reference flip cards - similar in use to the current Boeing QRH. It will be nice to see one flying again.
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First military flight I ever had - and my fourth ever flight in an aeroplane was in the coal-hole of a Mark 2 'Vixen at the 1966 Farnborough Air Show!! Only the RN could arrange such things for a 15 year old!! Thanks to the Boss of 892 - great days!!
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I think that it was before then......just!! Boss of 892 was Nigel Anderdon, a friend of my father. Having watched Wyverns, Sea Venoms and Seahawks at Merryfield years earlier when Yeovilton was being extended for the 'Vixen, the first airshow appearance at Yeovilton of the Scimitar, 'Vixen and later the F4 as well as hearing the occasional Sea Fury and Swordfish, our part of Somerset fairly hummed with real RN flying!! And then it all died when the carriers went......so I joined the RAF instead.
[This message has been edited by BEagle (edited 30 May 2000).]
[This message has been edited by BEagle (edited 30 May 2000).]
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Sleeve Wing,
Simon's Circus were around in the early 60's but had disbanded before the introduction of the Mark2 Vixen in '66 or thereabouts. I was at Yeovilton at the time then went to sea on HMS Victorious with 893 sqdn returning in '67. I think Nigel Anderdon made Commander Air at Yeovilton about that time. Whilst in Australia a large group of us bought a Fairey Firefly from the OZ government and brought it back to UK on board the ship. I haven't seen the aircraft since then but guess it is probably in the Fleet Air Arm museum? Anyone know by any chance?
Simon's Circus were around in the early 60's but had disbanded before the introduction of the Mark2 Vixen in '66 or thereabouts. I was at Yeovilton at the time then went to sea on HMS Victorious with 893 sqdn returning in '67. I think Nigel Anderdon made Commander Air at Yeovilton about that time. Whilst in Australia a large group of us bought a Fairey Firefly from the OZ government and brought it back to UK on board the ship. I haven't seen the aircraft since then but guess it is probably in the Fleet Air Arm museum? Anyone know by any chance?
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Flamecan - extract from an article on the RN Historic Flight from the Fleet Air Arm Officers' Association News Sheet in March......
"..... Unfortunately, we have had a setback with the work on the Seahawk and the Firefly, which is being undertaken by British Aerospace at Dunsfold Works. As some of you may know, last year BAe announced the closure of Dunsfold scheduled for the latter end of 2000....... it is now therefore less certain that either aircraft will fly out of Dunsfold as originally planned."
So, far from being in the FAA Museum, you can expect to see the Firefly (and Seahawk) on the airshow circuit in due course.
"..... Unfortunately, we have had a setback with the work on the Seahawk and the Firefly, which is being undertaken by British Aerospace at Dunsfold Works. As some of you may know, last year BAe announced the closure of Dunsfold scheduled for the latter end of 2000....... it is now therefore less certain that either aircraft will fly out of Dunsfold as originally planned."
So, far from being in the FAA Museum, you can expect to see the Firefly (and Seahawk) on the airshow circuit in due course.
